Higher Education - Access Route Form

Note: Click on the SAVE buttons as you move through the application form. This will afford you more time to answer all the questions. At the end of the application form, click submit.

Section 1. Address

Enter your current home address.
Please note that you may be contacted and requested to provide evidence of your address. For information on filling in your address or to see what evidence of address may be requestedClick here for help

House Name:

Number of House:

Address line 1:

Address line 2:

Address line 3:

Address line 4:

Area or town:

County:

Eircode:

Section 2. Second Level School

Use the drop down menus to select which county you went to second level school in and what second level school you attended. If your school is not listed select: My School is Not Listed.Click here for help

If you went to more than one second level school, use the drop down menus below to enter details of your previous schools. If your previous school is outside the Republic of Ireland select: School Outside Republic of Ireland

Section 3. Medical Card/GP Visit Card

Do you or your parent(s) or guardian(s) have a HSE medical card/GP visit card that is in date on 31 December 2024? Click here for help

YES

(Click to save your details and continue on to complete the form.)

Section 4. Children in the Care of the State/TUSLA

Are you currently in the Care of the State/TUSLA (the Child and Family Agency) or were you previously in Care of the State/HSE? Click here for help

YES

Section 5. Family Dependants

Enter each dependant's name, date of birth and the name of school or college they are attending (if any). Click here for help

A dependant includes:

a sibling under the age of 16 years on 1 October 2024
a sibling over the age of 16 years who is on 1 October 2024 either:

attending post primary education
attending a full time course in FET or higher education
medically certified as permanently unfit for work

a parent attending a full time course in FET or higher education

Enter the number of dependants in your family:

Do not include (count) yourself in this section.

(Click to save your details and continue on to complete the form.)

Section 6. Parent(s) or Guardian(s) Employment Status

This is an important section of your HEAR application. Seek assistance from your parent(s)/guardian(s). Be as precise as possible when describing your parent(s)/guardian(s) status and job titles.
To ensure you answer this section correctly please look at the instructions in the HEAR Handbook.
Click here for help

Mother/Guardian 1

1. Present Principal Status:

Father/Guardian 2

1. Present Principal Status:

(Click to save your details and continue on to complete the form.)

Section 7. Family Financial Circumstances

Please note this section relates to the year 2023 only Click here for help

HEAR requires evidence of a full year's income for 2023 (i.e. 52 weeks).
Some applicants depending on their parent(s)'/guardian(s)' circumstances in 2023 may need to submit Revenue documents and/or evidence of other income as well as evidence of Department of Social Protection (DSP) income.
Your guardian may not necessarily be your legal guardian, but refers to who you lived with and contributed to the household income in 2023.
If you have indicated income from both parents you must submit documents detailing both their incomes.
Where an applicant's supporting documents shows a household income of less than €10,000 for 2023: In setting it's criteria, HEAR takes advice from experts in budgetary and personal finance from state bodies and other organisations. These experts advised HEAR that where an applicant evidences a total income of less than €10,000, it is highly unlikely that the applicant has provided a full picture of their household income for the full year 2023 (i.e. 52 weeks).

In such cases, applicants should provide clarifying third party documentary information as to why supporting documents shows income of less than €10,000. Where an applicant has not done so, an applicant may not be eligible for HEAR. (This is not required by those living in Direct Provision Centres.)
Northern Ireland/UK Income: Parents/guardians in receipt of income from employment from Northern Ireland/UK can submit a Statement of Earnings and Tax (issued by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC)) covering the period April 2022 - March 2023 or April 2023 - March 2024. Parents/guardians in receipt of self-employment income can submit a Notice of Assessment or Self-Assessment document issued by HMRC(April 2022 - March 2023 or April 2023 - March 2024) showing total income.

Select who contributes to your family's income.

Mother

Father

Guardian1

Guardian2

Type of Income	Mother
Was your mother in paid employment in 2023 on a full, part-time or temporary basis?	YES	NO
Was your mother self-employed, engaged in farming or receiving income from rental property in 2023?	YES	NO
Did your mother receive any social welfare income in 2023 other than child benefit?	YES	NO
Did your mother receive any lump sum payments in 2023 from her former employer as a result of being made redundant?	YES	NO
Was your mother retired from employment in 2023?	YES	NO

Type of Income	Father
Was your father in paid employment in 2023 on a full, part-time or temporary basis?	YES	NO
Was your father self-employed, engaged in farming or receiving income from rental property in 2023?	YES	NO
Did your father receive any social welfare income in 2023 other than child benefit?	YES	NO
Did your father receive any lump sum payments in 2023 from his former employer as a result of being made redundant?	YES	NO
Was your father retired from employment in 2023?	YES	NO

Type of Income	Guardian1
Was your guardian in paid employment in 2023 on a full, part-time or temporary basis?	YES	NO
Was your guardian self-employed, engaged in farming or receiving income from rental property in 2023?	YES	NO
Did your guardian receive any social welfare income in 2023 other than child benefit?	YES	NO
Did your guardian receive any lump sum payments in 2023 from his/her former employer as a result of being made redundant?	YES	NO
Was your guardian retired from employment in 2023?	YES	NO

Type of Income	Guardian2
Was your guardian in paid employment in 2023 on a full, part-time or temporary basis?	YES	NO
Was your guardian self-employed, engaged in farming or receiving income from rental property in 2023?	YES	NO
Did your guardian receive any social welfare income in 2023 other than child benefit?	YES	NO
Did your guardian receive any lump sum payments in 2023 from his/her former employer as a result of being made redundant?	YES	NO
Was your guardian retired from employment in 2023?	YES	NO

Section 8. Eligibility Carry Forward

Please do not complete this section if you did not apply or were not eligible to the HEAR scheme last year (2024).

If you applied to CAO in 2024 and you were deemed eligible for HEAR in 2024 then your HEAR eligibility can be carried forward to your application for entry in 2025. You must enter your correct 2024 CAO application number in the box provided. Click here for help

CAO 2024 Application Number:

By carrying forward your HEAR 2024 eligibility, you are agreeing to share your HEAR 2024 application information with the HEAR participating colleges that you may apply to, for entry 2025. You must be under the age of 23 as of 1 January 2025 to carry forward HEAR eligibility from 2024 to 2025.

Supporting Document Checklist

Copies of the documents below should be posted to CAO before 17:00 on 15 March 2025.

HEAR Applications 2025,
CAO,
Tower House,
Eglinton Street,
Galway.

Type of Income	For	Documents Required
Paid Employment Income 2023	Mother Father Guardian 1 Guardian 2	Statement of Liability for 2023 from Revenue OfficeHEAR Handbook
Self-Employment, Farming or Rental Properties Income 2023	Mother Father Guardian 1 Guardian 2	Self Assessment Letter - Chapter 4 for 2023 OR a Notice of Assessment - Chapter 4 for 2023 OR a Notice of Amended Assessment - Chapter 4 for 2023 OR a Notice of Amended Assessment - Chapter 5 for 2023 from Revenue Office HEAR Handbook
Social Welfare Income 2023	Mother Father Guardian 1 Guardian 2	Social Welfare Form or Statement for 2023 Download Form
Lump Sum Redundancy Payment 2023	Mother Father Guardian 1 Guardian 2	Form RP50, Notification of Redundancy in 2023 OR Letter from parents' or guardians' last employer stating: Date employment ceased Gross amount of Lump Sum received in year ending 31 December 2023 Number of years in that employment HEAR Handbook
Lump Sum Retirement Payment 2023	Mother Father Guardian 1 Guardian 2	Letter from parents' or guardians' last employer stating: Date employment ceased Gross amount of Lump Sum received in year ending 31 December 2023 Number of years in that employment Gross Annual Pension HEAR Handbook
Other Pension 2023	Mother Father Guardian 1 Guardian 2	Statement of Liability for 2023 from Revenue Office OR Self Assessment Letter - Chapter 4 for 2023 OR a Notice of Assessment - Chapter 4 for 2023 OR a Notice of Amended Assessment - Chapter 4 for 2023 OR a Notice of Amended Assessment - Chapter 5 for 2023 from Revenue Office HEAR Handbook
In Care of the State 2023	Applicant	Letter from TUSLA for Children in the Care of the State.HEAR Handbook

IMPORTANT
- Keep Original Documents
- Get a Certificate of Posting as proof

Section 1. Address

Section 2. Second Level School

Section 3. Medical Card/GP Visit Card

Section 4. Children in the Care of the State/TUSLA

Section 5. Family Dependants

Section 6. Parent(s) or Guardian(s) Employment Status

Mother/Guardian 1

Father/Guardian 2

Section 7. Family Financial Circumstances

Mother

Father

Guardian(1)

Guardian(2)

Section 8. Eligibility Carry Forward

Supporting Document Checklist

Did she receive a lump sum payment from her former employer in 2023?	YES	NO
Did she receive a social welfare payment/state pension in 2023?	YES	NO
Did she receive any other pension in 2023?	YES	NO

Did he receive a lump sum payment from his former employer in 2023?	YES	NO
Did he receive a social welfare payment/state pension in 2023?	YES	NO
Did he receive any other pension in 2023?	YES	NO

Did they receive a lump sum payment from their former employer in 2023?	YES	NO
Did they receive a social welfare payment/state pension in 2023?	YES	NO
Did they receive any other pension in 2023?	YES	NO